Press Releases

Potential Job Scam Identified

Late yesterday, the RI Department of Labor and Training learned that an unknown person or persons fraudulently used an employer's identification information to impersonate a business. The fictitious employer contacted approximately 300 users of DLT's online career center, EmployRI.org, to request that they set up Yahoo Instant Messenger accounts and import personal information.

DLT has contacted the RI State Police on this matter.

The Department of Labor and Training is concerned that anyone who did respond to these requests may have compromised the security of their personal information and/or their computers. DLT has records of all users contacted by this fictitious employer. E-mail notifications were sent yesterday to those impacted and telephone calls will be made this morning to the same individuals. In addition, the department will send those individuals letters.

As a precaution, the department is recommending that any of the 300 contacts who did provide information or download files through Yahoo Messenger immediately report a possible breach of security to the three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union. The department has also pledged to provide up to one year of credit monitoring services to impacted individuals if they choose this service.

It is important to note that this security breach is limited to the 300 users identified by the department, all of whom were invited to pursue further contact with the fictitious company through the Yahoo Messenger application. Those EmployRI.org users who have not received a message to provide further information through Yahoo Messenger are not considered at risk.